BEFORE THE AUCKLAND UNITARY PLAN INDEPENDENT HEARINGS PANEL IN THE MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991 and the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 AND IN THE MATTER of TOPIC 081a Rezoning and Precincts (Geographical Areas) AND IN THE MATTER of the submissions and further submissions set out in the Parties and Issues Report STATEMENT OF PRIMARY EVIDENCE OF STEPHEN KENNETH BROWN ON BEHALF OF AUCKLAND COUNCIL LANDSCAPE 29 January 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 4 CODE OF CONDUCT ............................................................................................. 6 SCOPE ................................................................................................................... 6 PART ONE: WHITFORD & HATFIELDS BEACH WHITFORD .......................................................................................................... 10 HATFIELDS BEACH ............................................................................................. 21 PART TWO: SUBMISSIONS GENERALLY SUPPORTED WEST WELLSFORD ............................................................................................ 29 SOUTH WELLSFORD .......................................................................................... 30 MATAKANA / WHANGATEAU .............................................................................. 31 GOATLEY RD, NORTH WARKWORTH ............................................................... 34 AHUROA RD, PUHOI ........................................................................................... 35 UPPER OREWA RD, WAINUI .............................................................................. 36 INLAND RD, HELENSVILLE ................................................................................. 36 PINE VALLEY RD, SILVERDALE ......................................................................... 37 CHENERY RD, WEITI .......................................................................................... 38 PART THREE: SUBMISSIONS NOT SUPPORTED TE ARAI POINT, PAKIRI ...................................................................................... 41 EAST WELLSFORD ............................................................................................. 42 MATAKANA HILLS, OMAHA VALLEY & WHANGATEAU HARBOUR .................. 43 KAIPARA FLATS TO MATAKANA ........................................................................ 44 ALGIES BAY ........................................................................................................ 46 WARKWORTH SOUTH ........................................................................................ 47 SOUTH HEAD TREATY SETTLEMENT & MAORI LAND ..................................... 51 KAUKAPAKAPA ................................................................................................... 54 TAYLOR RD, WAIMAUKU .................................................................................... 56 WAINUI & SURROUNDING AREAS ..................................................................... 57 COATESVILLE ..................................................................................................... 58 DAIRY FLAT - SOUTH & WEST OF KAUKAPAKAPA RD .................................... 59 SOUTH OF MARAETAI TO WHITFORD FOREST ............................................... 61 BROOKBY ............................................................................................................ 63 2 Evidence of Stephen Brown January 2016 CLEVEDON VALLEY & KAWAKAWA RD ............................................................ 64 SOUTH CLEVEDON / ARDMORE ........................................................................ 66 PART FOUR: OTHER ZONING MATTERS MT PLEASANT DRIVE, LEIGH ............................................................................ 67 THE RURAL COASTAL ZONE - AWHITU & SOUTH MANUKAU ......................... 69 THE RURAL COASTAL ZONE - MARAETAI TO MATINGARAHI ......................... 70 KINGSEAT & KARAKA ......................................................................................... 70 3 Evidence of Stephen Brown January 2016 INTRODUCTION 1. My name is Stephen Kenneth Brown. I am giving evidence in these proceedings on behalf of the Auckland Council (Council). I hold a Bachelor of Town Planning degree and a post-graduate Diploma of Landscape Architecture. I am a Fellow and past president of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects, an Affiliate Member of the New Zealand Planning Institute, and have practised as a landscape architect for 33 years. 2. During that period, the great majority of my professional practice has focussed on landscape assessment and planning. This has included evaluating the landscape effects associated with a wide variety of coastal development projects, including those of: Various Waitemata Harbour crossing options in 2002/3 (for OPUS and NZTA); the current Waterview Connection upgrade of S16 and the North- western Motorway (for Transit NZ); the Sandspit Marina proposal (for Auckland Council); the ALPURT B2 Waiwera River crossing on SH1 (for the Auckland Regional Council); the proposed Weiti River bridge and highway (for the Auckland Regional Council); the Southdown Power Station (Mercury Energy / Transalta); the Papamoa Gateway Project (for Tauranga City Council); the Marsden Point port development (for Northport); and a number of marina proposals in the early 1990s for the Americas Cup Planning Authority. 3. More strategically, I have undertaken and participated in many landscape assessments aimed at identifying landscape values at the district and regional levels. Of relevance to the current application, I have twice undertaken landscape assessments of the Auckland Region (in 1982-4 and 2002-13), and – among others – have also been responsible for studies of: the West Coast Region - Buller / Grey / Westland Districts: Landscape & Natural Character (2012); 4 Evidence of Stephen Brown January 2016 Buller District: Landscape & Natural Character (2010/2011) – for Meridian Energy Ltd in relation to the Mokihinui River appeals; the Waikato Region: peer review of Outstanding Natural Landscapes (2011/12); the Auckland Region: Outstanding Natural Features – Geological / Geomorphological (2012); the Auckland Region: Amenity Values (2012); the Auckland Region: Natural Character (2010 & 2012/13); the Auckland Region: Landscape (2001-8); Otorohanga District (2009/10); the Horizons (Manawatu Wanganui) Region: Landscape – for Mighty River Power in relation to the Turitea Wind Farm application (2009/10); the Thames Coromandel District: Landscape and Natural Character (2006-12); the Kawhia and Aotea Harbour catchments: Landscape (2006); the Mahia Peninsula and Wairoa District: Landscape (2003); Waitakere City's Northern Strategic Growth Area Study: Landscape (2000); North Shore City: Landscape (1997-2000); Eastern Manukau City: Landscape (1995); Auckland’s urban coastlines: Landscape (1995); Whangarei District: Landscape (1994 & 2005); the Far North District: Landscape (1994/5); Waiheke Island: Landscape (1988); and the Auckland Region: Landscape (1982-4). 4. In 2006 I was also part of a team under the ‘umbrella’ of Urbis Ltd that was awarded the (UK) Landscape Institute’s Strategic Planning Award for the “Landscape Value Mapping Study of Hong Kong”. My contribution included development of an assessment method and evaluation criteria that were employed in that study. 5. I have been engaged by Auckland Council (the Council) to present evidence in relation to a number of Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) rural zoning and precincts matters that relate to submissions on Topic 081 Rezoning and Precincts (Geographical Areas) (Topic 081). 5 Evidence of Stephen Brown January 2016 6. I have previously prepared evidence for a range of PAUP hearing Topics including Topic 011 RPS Rural (Topic 011) and Topic 056 and 057 Rural Objectives and Policies & Rural Activities and Controls (Topics 056 and 057). CODE OF CONDUCT 7. I confirm that I have read the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses contained in the Environment Court Practice Note 2014 and that I agree to comply with it. I confirm that I have considered all the material facts that I am aware of that might alter or detract from the opinions that I express, and that this evidence is within my area of expertise, except where I state that I am relying on the evidence of another person. SCOPE 8. My statement addresses the landscape values and sensitivities associated with a large number of sites zoned Rural Production or Rural Coastal and other sites that submitters are seeking to ‘up zone’ – most commonly to Countryside Living or Mixed Rural. The locations addressed in my statement therefore cover a cross- section of rural Auckland, including: x Mt Pleasant Drive, Leigh x Te Arai Point, near Pakiri Beach x Landholdings on the western, eastern and southern sides of Wellsford x Whangateau Harbour, the Matakana Hills and Omaha Valley x Eastern Matakana and the margins of the Matakana River x The northern edge of Warkworth near Goatley Rd x Algies Bay x Kaipara Flats to Matakana and Point Wells x Warkworth South – Near Sandspit Rd, Thompson Rd, Perry Rd & Hepburn Creek Rd x Hatfields Beach 6 Evidence of Stephen Brown January 2016 x The South Head / Muriwai Coastline which is subject to both Treaty claims and submissions x Helensville on the eastern side of Inland Rd